Photochromic compounds

ABSTRACT

Photochromic compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein one of R 1  and R 2  is halogen or lower alkoxy, and the other is hydrogen, R 3  and R 4  are hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, or halogen and R 5  is an alkyl of 2 to 10 carbons, and their use in lenses are disclosed.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of our earlier filed application Ser. No. 940,535 filed Sept. 8, 1978, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to spirooxazine photochromic compounds having a particular utility in fabricating photochromic sunglass lenses and the like.

1,3,3-trimethylspiro|indoline-2,3'-|3H|naphth-.vertline.2,1-b| (1,4) oxazines| are known photochromic compounds. The change in optical density between the unactivated and activated states as measured at the wavelength of maximum absorption ranges from about 0.43 to about 0.89 for some of the disclosed species. Such compounds are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,602 to Ono et al, entitled "Photochromic Compound". Another Ono et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,172 discloses similar compounds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with our earlier application, it was found that the substitution of a methoxy group, ethoxy group or halogen in the 8' or 9'-position of 1,3,3-trimethylspiro|indoline-2,3'-|3H|-naphth |2,1-b| |1,4|oxazine| derivatives having substituents on the indoline ring results in photochromic compounds having enhanced photocolorability, or a relatively large change in optical density between the activated and unactivated state, and yet are also characterized by enhanced luminous transmittance, about 80% or more, in the unactivated state. Furthermore, it was discovered that the photochromic compounds of the earlier invention may be incorporated within optically clear plastics such as poly (allyl diglycol carbonate), polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, poly(vinyl-acetate), poly(vinylalcohol), polyester resins, and preferably poly(allyl diglycol carbonate, polycarbonate, poly(methylmethacrylate), and cellulose acetate butyrate or propionate to make a photochromic element suitable for a photochromic sunglass lens, ski goggle, or the like.

We have now discovered that compounds similar to those of our earlier application exhibit the enhanced properties of those claimed in our earlier application. Specifically, alkyl radicals having more than one carbon may be used on the 1-N position while achieving an improvement of the same type exhibited by the compounds claimed in our earlier application. Alkyl radicals having 2 through 10 carbon atoms of straight or branched chain arrangement have been found useful substituents in the one position. Our experimentation indicates optimum performance with four carbon chains.

The compounds of the present invention may be synthesized using the procedure disclosed by Ono et al using starting materials having appropriate substitutions.

In an alternative procedure the indoleninium iodide corresponding to the respective methylene indoline compound can be used along with triethylamine. Both procedures are suitable for the production of the desired photochromic compounds. We prefer to recrystalize from acetone rather than the ethyl alcohol of Ono et al.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel class of photochromic spirooxazine compounds. Another object of the invention is to provide a class of photochromic spirooxazine compounds having enhanced photocolorability and yet a relatively high luminous transmittance in the unactivated state. Still another object of the invention is to provide sunglass lenses and the like having improved photochromic response.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention provides a class of novel photochromic compounds represented by the structural formula: ##STR2## wherein one of R₁ and R₂ is halogen or lower alkoxy, and the other is hydrogen, R₃ and R₄ are hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, or halogen and R₅ is an alkyl of 2 to 10 carbons.

Between 0.1 and about 15 weight percent of the compound may then be incorporated into an optically clear plastic film to produce a photochromic element having high luminous transmittance in the unactivated state and enhanced photocolorability. The optically clear matrix will preferably have a thickness in the range of 0.0001-1.0 inch. For a film 0.006 inches thick, 2% by weight of the photochromic spirooxazine compounds of the invention is a preferred formulation. The dyes of the invention may be also mixed with an optically clear polymer which is injection molded or otherwise shaped into a film or lens; or the dyes may be dissolved in a solution of alcohol, water or the like and then imbibed into a prepolymerized film, or lens. Preferred solvents are polyhydric alcohols, especially diethylene glycol or other polyethylene glycols. Poly (allyl diglycol carbonate), polycarbonate, polymethacrylate, cellulose acetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, poly(vinylacetate), poly(vinylalcohol), copolymers and mixtures thereof may be used. However, the preferred materials for use as a host for the compounds of the invention are poly(allyl diglycol carbonate), polycarbonate, poly(methylmethacrylate), and cellulose acetate butyrate or propionate. Such films or lens elements may be used as ophthalmic or sunglass lenses, ski goggles or the like which have a high luminous transmittance in the unactivated state, yet darken significantly in the presence of sunglight.

EXAMPLE I

40 grams of the 1-nitroso-7-methoxy-2-naphthol was dissolved in 400 ml of ethanol. N₂ gas was bubbled into the system, which was then heated to a gentle reflux at about 70° C. A solution of 65 grams of 1,2,3,3,4 (and 6), 5-hexamethyl indoleninium iodide in 200 ml of ethanol containing 24 grams of trimethylamine was added over a thirty minute period. After the mixture was refluxed for two hours, the solution was then cooled and the brown precipitate separated by filtering. The weight of crude 1,3,3,4 (and 6), 5-pentamethyl-9'-methoxy-spiroindoline-naphthoxazine obtained was 29 grams. The crude product was purified by recrystallization from acetone.

A 4% by weight solution of the dye in diethylene glycol was heated to 120° C. Following immersion in the hot dye solution for 11/2 hours, a cast plano CR-39 lens 2 mm thick had the following transmission properties at 72° F.

                  TABLE I                                                          ______________________________________                                         Activating Light                                                               Intensity    Luminous      Transmittance At                                    (microwatts cm.sup.-2).sup.1                                                                Transmittance (%)                                                                            λ max(600 nm)                                ______________________________________                                          320         78.7          73.6                                                 820         58.3          41.7                                                1250         50.8          31.8                                                2150         37.7          17.5                                                3250         28.0          8.6                                                 4350         21.0          3.8                                                 5740         17.5          1.5                                                 ______________________________________                                          .sup.1 For light of wavelengths between 300-400 nanometers.              

Similar results are obtained using polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate when imbibed with a dye according to the present invention.

EXAMPLE II

A series of comparisons were conducted to demonstrate that the class of compounds claimed in our earlier application had substantially enhanced photocolorability (ΔOD) over a compound having the same indoline substituents but not having a substituent on the naphthalene group. Each test was conducted by compounding 2 weight percent of the specified dye with cellulose acetate butyrate and casting a film therewith. Each cast film was approximately 6 mils thick. The percent of light transmitted through the unactivated film was then measured. The films were then activated using a 100 watt mercury vapor source and the change in optical density (ΔOD) determined. The test results reported in the following table were obtained at about 23° C.±1.5° C. with a light intensity of 6700 microwatts per sq. cm. at a wavelength of 300-400 nm.

                                      TABLE II                                     __________________________________________________________________________               R.sub.1 & R.sub.2 = H                                                          (Prior Art) R.sub.1 = methoxy                                                                          R.sub.1 = ethoxy                                                                           R.sub.2 = Bromo                            F.T.                                                                               %  ΔOD at                                                                        F.T.                                                                               %  ΔOD at                                                                        F.T.                                                                               %  ΔOD at                                                                        F.T.                                                                               %  ΔOD at              R.sub.3 and/or R.sub.4 =                                                                 (mils)                                                                             L.T.                                                                              λmax                                                                         (mils)                                                                             L.T.                                                                              λmax                                                                         (mils)                                                                             L.T.                                                                              λmax                                                                         (mils)                                                                             L.T.                                                                              λmax               __________________________________________________________________________               6.0 88 0.9  4.7 88 1.4  5.9 88 1.4  3.6 86 1.2                       5-methyl  6.0 87 1.4  6.0 86 1.8                                               6-methyl  6.3 88 1.1  6.0 88 1.8                                               7-methyl  6.2 87 0.8  6.1 87 1.3                                               4,5-dimethyl          6.1 78 3.3                                               4(and 6), 5-dimethyl                                                                     7.5 81 1.1  6.1 78 2.6              6.1 82 3.8                       4,7-dimethyl                                                                             6.6 85 1.3  4.8 86 1.9                                               5,6-dimethyl          6.1 84 2.2                                               5,7-dimethyl          6.0 84 1.6                                               6,7-dimethyl          6.3 85 1.5                                               5-methoxy     81 2.7  6.1 83 2.3                                               4,7-dimethoxy                                                                            6.2 87 1.2  6.3 85 2.0                                               5-chloro  4.9 89 0.9  5.3 88 1.2                                               __________________________________________________________________________

EXAMPLE III

Following the procedure of Example II, a series of tests were run with the compounds of the present invention, except that the change in optical density (ΔOD) was measured using a high pressure mercury vapor lamp having an intensity of 3500 μWcm⁻². Similar to the compounds in our earlier application, luminous transmittance of the test specimens in the unactivated state was not significantly impaired while each of the compounds of the present invention similarly display enhanced photochromic activity (ΔOD) in comparison with the corresponding prior art compounds of Ono et al.

                                      TABLE III                                    __________________________________________________________________________            R.sub.1 & R.sub.2 = H                                                                         R.sub.1 = Methoxy, R.sub.2 = H                           R.sub.3 and/or                                                                        R.sub.5 = Methyl                                                                      Ethyl                                                                              n-Butyl                                                                            R.sub.5 = Methyl                                                                      Ethyl                                                                              n-Propyl                                                                            i-Propyl                                                                            n-Butyl                                                                            n-Octyl                         R.sub.4 =                                                                             ΔOD                                                                             ΔOD                                                                          ΔOD                                                                          ΔOD                                                                             ΔOD                                                                          ΔOD                                                                           ΔOD                                                                           ΔOD                                                                          ΔOD                       __________________________________________________________________________     H                 0.53       0.81                                              5,6-dimethyl                                                                          0.62   0.68    0.84   0.92                                                                               1.35 0.98 1.45                                                                               1.09                            5-methoxy                    1.26                                              5-chloro                     0.67          0.80                                4,5-dimethyl                                                                          1.15   1.25    1.32   1.58                                              __________________________________________________________________________ 

What is claimed is:
 1. A compound having the formula: ##STR3## wherein one of R₁ and R₂ is halogen or lower alkoxy, and the other is hydrogen, R₃ and R₄ are hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, or halogen and R₅ is an alkyl radical having 2 to 10 carbons.
 2. The compound according to claim 1 wherein R₂ is hydrogen.
 3. The compound according to claim 1 wherein R₃ and R₄ are methyl.
 4. The compound according to claim 3 wherein R₁ is methoxy.
 5. A photochromic optical element comprising (A) a transparent plastic host and (B) an effective amount of a photochromic compound selected from the group consisting of 1-ethyl-3,3-dimethyl-9'-methoxy-; 1-butyl-3,3-dimethyl-9'-methoxy-; 1-ethyl-3,3,5,6-tetramethyl-9'-methoxy-; 1-propyl-3,3,5,6-tetramethyl-9'-methoxy-; 1-butyl-3,3,5,6-tetramethyl-9'-methoxy-; 1-octyl-3,3,5,6-tetramethyl-9'-methoxy-; 1-ethyl-3,3-dimethyl-5,9'-dimethoxy-; 1-ethyl-3,3-dimethyl-5-chloro-9'-methoxy-; 1-butyl-3,3-dimethyl-5-chloro-9'-methoxy- and 1 ethyl-3,3,4,5-tetramethyl-9'-methoxy-spiroindolinenaphthooximes and mixtures thereof.
 6. The photochromic optical element according to claim 5 wherein the element is a lens and the host is polycarbonate resin.
 7. The photochromic optical element according to claim 5 wherein the element is a lens and the host is poly(allyl diglycol carbonate).
 8. The element according to claim 5 wherein the element is a lens and the host is cellulose acetate butyrate.
 9. The element according to claim 5 wherein the element is a lens and the host is cellulose acetate propionate. 